The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-08-19

gothcr during the last sixteen years OF
his life.
His case, then, only shows what q
burden Is taken from the system when
the quantity of food is reduced even far
below what is commonly regarded as O
moderate amount.
have before me the records of no
less than iifty-two centenarians, the
details in regard to whom have been
collected by committee of the British
Medical association. OF tho fifty-two
no fewer than thirty-six (more than
two-thirds) arc women. This may
probably be attributed in large part to
the comparative immunity that women
enjoy from many risks TO which men
are exposed, but probably 1t Is due not
less to their greater temperance and to
their freedom from tho anxieties and
heart-burnings which attend mems
struggles for influence, and even for
maintenance. Medical men contend,
however, that women also possess
greater inherent vitality than mon, the
mortality of girls being less than that
of boys, even during the first year OF
life, when the female is neither less
temperate nor less ambitious than the
male, and is exposed to as many dan
gers.
Of the sixteen men only one was sin
gle; ten of the thirty-six women were
single; fifteen men and twenty-six wo.
men, then, among the centenarians,
were married; but, naturally enough.
of these forty-one large number, all
in fact, but five, were widowed. Throe
of the fifty-two were rich, nineteen
poor, tho rest in comfortable circum-
stances; nine were fat (only one MANI,
twenty-three lean, eighteen medium,
only eight were full-blooded; the rest
average or pale. Forty had good dis
gestion, which, after hundred years.
means good deal. Most Of the fifty
two have had good appettes, only two
having appetites classed as actually
bad; most Of them have been through
life moderate eaters: twelve, hewever,
have eaten large quantities Of food.
Only one is returned as q large eater
of flesh food and only one Is great
consumer of alcoholic liquors Tin his
case the liquor preferred has been
beer). Only eight of all tho number
are classed as simply Irritable, but
to these must be added five Chased as
Irritable and energetic"
AS to smoking, thirty-two are non
seventeen smoke much -four
of them being women), three moder-
ately, and two little; only one chews;
avoid snuff. Most of the
returns, relating only to the
actual condition of the fifty-two. cen
at present, are of no special
showing only that the same
weaknesses prevail, in almost the same
degree, among them, as we might ex.
pect to find among as many men and
women of the average sort between 70
and 80 years old If only our fifty-twQ
could have been examined
twenty years ago in these respects the
world might have obtained some useful
hints. 1t is worthy Of notice, how
ever, that most of them were free from
rheumatic and equity troubles. TIE
only man whose joints are stiff or de-
formed from such causes stated, in re,
ply to questions as to his capacity and
.aste for strong drink said, II always
rink rs much as I could, and / always |
a case, it will be observed,
If "Willful will to water SO Willful
must wet but of Willful would not to
water, and so wet his whistle to his own
When we take number of cases such
Is these, in all classes of life, under
many varied circumstances, and not
by any special course d.
ected toward the attainment of mere
(Which might possibly be
,ained without any real advantage, all
hat makes life worth living being sac
iticed for life's mere sake), most men
lot affected by specific disease, consti.
utional or inherited, may hope to at
ain an age considerably exceeding
hree-score years and ten, or even four
core years. 1t would appear. in fact,
s though five-score years wero the
atural or normal limit of human life;
nd that when men die many years be-
ore that age is attained the fault,
part from malignant disease or acct
ent, has lain with themselves. I'M
crying the old proverb, Every man
fool or physician at 49," there is
10 important truth that II is In every
lan's power, if he is wise, to recognize
lrly in life Qike Cornaro) the require
tents of his own constitution, and the
leans by which all such stores of vital
y as II may possess may DO utilized.
n able physician said to me a short
me ago: ''In all my experience have
ever known but one man who really
ed a natural DEATH" and he went ON
explain that man can only be said
die n natural death xvhen he dies all